McPhee: 2019 Honda Moto3 bike already working well

John McPhee feels he’s been instantly able to adapt back to the Honda Moto3 machine on the opening day of the private test for Petronas Sprinta Racing at Sepang.

The British rider completed 38 laps at Sepang to start a private three-day test for the SIC Racing-run squad, with the majority of fellow Moto3 teams pre-season testing back in Europe, focusing on base setup and riding position returning to the Honda Moto3 bike having last competed on the Japanese manufacturer’s machinery in 2017.

McPhee feels he’s already gelling with the 2019-specification bike and the Petronas Sprinta squad alongside new team-mate Ayumu Sasaki.

“I am very satisfied with the first day here at Sepang,” McPhee said. “Today was a successful first day, working with the new bike and trying to understand all the new parts that HRC have brought.

“In the first half of the day we worked a lot on my position on the bike and trying to find a good base setting, although what Honda brought for 2019 already worked pretty well.

“After the lunch break we didn’t go down one particular route, just tried a few different things and ruled out whatever didn’t work. At the end of the session we put some new tyres in and managed to set a good lap times, which was one of my objectives for today.

“So far everything is going well and I am looking forward to completing more tests with the bike over the next two days. I am also really happy with how the team is working.”

The Petronas Sprinta Racing squad did not release lap times from the first day of the private test, where Moto2 rider Khairul Idham Pawi was also in action, with two more days of track time ahead at Sepang.

McPhee will contest his seventh consecutive full Moto3 campaign in 2019.